Business Writing - Concision

The following statement is concisely stated: I have the role of being our team's leader and am responsible for the submission of all assignments."

False

Select the revision that reduces the following sentence to the essential information: In regard to desirable employment in teaching positions, prospects for those engaged in graduate school level studies are at best not certain.

Graduate students might not get good teaching positions.

Select the revision that reduces the following sentence to the essential information: There is no possibility in regard to a reduction in federal spending if reductions in the size of the federal government are not introduced.

If the federal government's size is not reduced, then federal spending cannot be reduced.

Which of the following statements would be best to include in a message?

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Select the revision that reduces the following sentence to the essential information: The last point I would like to make here is that in regard to men-women relationships, it is important to keep in mind that the greatest changes have in all probability occurred in the way men and women seem to be working next to one another.

Relationships between men and women have probably changed most in the way they work together.

Which of the following statements is most clearly and concisely worded?

Thank you for your help with averting the crisis.

Select the revision that reduces the following sentence to the essential information: Depending on the particular position that one takes on this question, the educational system has taken on a degree of importance that may be equal to or perhaps even exceed the family as a major source of transmission of social values.

The educational system is as important, if not more so, than the family for transmitting social values.

Select the revision that reduces the following sentence to the essential information: So long as taxpayers do not engage in widespread refusal to pay taxes, the government will have no difficulty in paying its debts.

The government can pay its debts if taxpayers pay their taxes.

Select the best rewrite, based on concision and clarity, of the following sentence below: In my opinion, it is a good idea for you to make sentences that are needlessly complex more simple.

You should simplify needlessly complex sentences.

Select the revision that reduces the following sentence to the essential information: At the meeting there will be a report to the stockholders on the progress of the Company during the past year. A discussion period will also take place, during which the stockholders will have an opportunity to discuss matters of Company interest.

At the meeting, an annual progress report will be given and then stockholders will discuss Company business.

Select the version of the sentence that is more concise:

For expenses over $20, the Insured will provide relevant receipts, checks, or other evidence of costs.

Select the version of the sentence that is more concise:

If we want to stop depending on imported oil fuel, we need to develop tar sand, oil shale, and coal as sources of fuel.

Select the revision that reduces the following sentence to the essential information: If there are any points on which you require clarification or further particulars, we shall be glad to furnish such additional details as may be required by telephone.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 555-4321.

Concision is important to business writing because

It keeps sentences and documents brief to save paper. Redundant pairs and modifiers are awkward, unnecessary, and repetitive in writing and speaking. It eliminates unnecessary verbiage and therefore promotes efficient reading. All business people dislike wordiness and complicated, long sentences.

Select the revision that reduces the following sentence to the essential information: Scientific research generally depends on fully accurate data if it is to offer theories that will allow us to predict the future in a plausible way.

To plausibly predict the future, scientists must use accurate data to generate their theories.

How would you eliminate the wordiness of the following sentence: "During our staff meeting of November 5, 2009, I had an opportunity to discuss my personal and professional feelings and thoughts regarding recent current events that surround our government"?

Use "recent" or "current," not both. Replace "I had an opportunity to discuss" with "I discussed." Use "feelings" or "thoughts," not both.

How would you eliminate the redundancy of the following sentence? But on the other hand, we can perhaps point out that there may always be TV programming to appeal to our most prurient and, therefore, lowest interests.

Use "television programming" rather than "TV programming." Use "prurient" or "lowest," not both. Replace "But on the other hand" with "In addition."

Select the version of the sentence that is more concise:

We cannot prevent people participating in cost-sharing educational programs without discussion.

Select the revision that is most clear and concise: Notwithstanding the fact that all legal restrictions on the use of firearms are the subject of heated debate and argument, it is necessary that the general public not stop carrying on discussions pro and con in regard to them.

We must continue to discuss firearm restrictions to participate in the debate on their pros and cons.

Select the revision that reduces the following sentence to the essential information: In my personal opinion, we must listen to and think over in a punctilious manner each and every suggestion that is offered to us.

We need to consider every suggestion carefully

Select the revision that reduces the following sentence to the essential information: Bringing the project to final completion three weeks early, the new manager earned our respectful regard.

We respected the new manager for completing the project three weeks early.

Which of the following are three strategies for writing concisely?

avoid negatives; avoid redundancies, and avoid meta-discourse (writing about writing)

The following wordy sentence,"It should be noted that active sentences achieve a reduction in word count and a promotion of concision," could be rewritten more concisely as, "Note that active sentences reduce word count and promote concision." In the second version, which wordy, indirect constructions have been eliminated?

dummy subject, passive, nominalizations

Choose the example of a redundant pair from the following:

each and every

Spot the meta-discourse (writing about writing):

virtually completely the purpose of this email is to not entirely unlikely in my opinion